No charges in fatal shooting
A North Idaho man who shot and killed his hunting partner last month won’t face criminal charges because investigators have ruled the shooting an accident.
Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas said James D. High didn’t mean to kill 22-year-old David L. Howard when the two were hunting in a wooded area outside Bayview.
The decision not to prosecute High was supported by Susan Howard, David’s mother.
“While I do feel it was gross neglect on James’ part, the family doesn’t feel that prosecution would be the right course of action,” Howard said. “He’s in a prison of his own. He’ll have to live with it the rest of his life.
“He is devastated by this and we’re doing our best to help him through it,” Susan Howard said. “Healing is what is important now.”
Kootenai County sheriff detectives Howard and High were deer hunting about 70 feet apart in thick brush when High shot Howard once in the side of the chest with a .300 Winchester Magnum rifle.
Officials said the shot was fired about 15 minutes after sunset. Neither hunter was wearing hunter orange.
Associated Press
FISHING
Record fish caught
Two state fish records that had stood for at least two decades were broken recently by the following catches:
Montana: Mountain whitefish, 5.11 pounds, caught in late October in Hauser Reservoir by Walt Goodman of Helena while trolling a rainbow-sided Rapala.
Idaho: Brown trout, 27.3 pounds, caught Nov. 6 in Ashton Reservoir by Wes Case of Ashton while fishing from shore.
Staff and wire reports
BICYCLING
City funds trails
The Seattle City Council has approved a 10-year plan for 118 miles of new bike lanes and 19 miles of bike trails.
Mayor Greg Nickels hopes the number of bicycle commuters will triple – from 6,000 to 18,000.
The plan approved this month would establish a 450-mile network of lanes and trails for bicycle riders.
The city has budgeted $27 million for cycling projects. Completing the plan will cost $240 million.
Seattle Times
WILDLIFE
Feast on game
The annual Wild Game Feast to benefit the North Idaho College Alumni Association’s scholarship fund is set for 6 p.m. on Feb. 2 at Edminster Student Union Building.
The evening will feature wine and a five-course meal of wild-game delicacies, starting with alligator wontons, yak meatballs and wapiti quesadillas appetizers followed by Creole turtle soup, quail eggs, kangaroo medallions and huckleberry bread pudding.
Sign-up: $75 per person. Info: (208) 769-5978.
Rich Landers
RIVERS
Down on dams
California Energy Commission analysts, at the end of October, urged Oregon, California and Washington to deny any requests from PacifiCorp to increase electricity rates to help pay for upgrading Klamath dams.
The commission has recommended funding only for decommissioning the four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River. Indian tribes, fishermen and conservation groups want the dams removed to open spawning habitat for salmon runs.
“The Energy Commission has a responsibility not only to provide reliable energy supplies, but to provide for the environment,” said Chris Tooker, an energy policy analyst for the California Energy Commission.
The dams produce enough power for 70,000 households, or 1 percent of PacifiCorp’s power.
Associated Press